Oranges can provide many different nutrients, especially vitamin C. They are also rich in minerals known as electrolytes, which are named for their ability to conduct electricity in your body. Your body needs electrolytes to maintain proper muscle function and it loses electrolytes when you sweat, so eating an orange can be a great way to restore your electrolytes after an intense workout.
According to the USDA Nutrient Database, oranges can provide the electrolytes calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. One whole orange about 2-7/8 inches in diameter contains 60 mg of calcium, 32 mg of phosphorus, 232 mg of potassium and 15 mg of magnesium. An orange contains only 1 mg of sodium, so you will have to replace lost sodium via another source.
Potassium
Your muscles and heart need the electrolyte potassium to maintain their normal functions. Potassium breaks down into a positively charged ion concentrated inside your cells. Outside your cells is a negatively charged sodium concentration, which works with the potassium to create an electrical gradient. This gradient controls the levels of these electrolytes in your cells, which in turn controls your muscles' contractions and heartbeat. A lack of potassium can lead to muscle cramps and heart arrhythmias.
Phosphorus and Calcium
Phosphorus and calcium are two closely related electrolytes, and they are both used to maintain muscle function as well as build strong bones. Typically, when your phosphorus levels are high, your calcium levels are low, and vice versa. When these electrolytes are unbalanced, you can suffer from fatigue, bone and joint pain, muscle cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. After you exercise and sweat a lot, an orange can provide these nutrients your bones and muscles need to recover.
Magnesium
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, your body uses magnesium for many different functions, from building a strong skeleton to metabolizing energy from food. Your nerves and muscles also need magnesium to function correctly; about 27 percent of the magnesium in your body is located in your muscle tissues. If you are not able to replace your magnesium levels, a deficiency can lead to loss of appetite, muscle tremors and spasms, nausea and vomiting.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Oranges, Raw, Navels - One Fruit
- Linus Pauling Institute; Macronutrient Information Center: Potassium; Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D.; December 2010
- ModernMedicine; Restoring Electrolyte Balance; Sonia M. Astle, RN, MS, CCRN, CCNS; May 2005
- Linus Pauling Institute; Macronutrient Information Center: Magnesium; Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D.; August 2007
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